Wide-ranging cuts, from the scrapping of the unadopted roads programme to transferring all training centres to another organisation, were agreed at a stormy three-hour meeting last night.

The cuts agreed by Bradford Council's Executive Committee - which will now have to be considered by the full council - will bring £1.8 million towards the £11 million to be redirected to schools over the next three years.

The council must also repay money raided from the reserves to keep this year's Council Tax down and still balance the books at the end of the year.

There will be a full evaluation of controversial proposals by officers to close six social services homes and all methods of service delivery will be examined.

The possibility of charging for bulk refuse collection will be examined in the light of a waste management strategy and not as a simple cost-reduction exercise.

A recommendation by officers that Eccleshill Sports Centre should be closed has been shelved until alternative provision can be made. Officers will also be instructed to conduct a full review of proposals to shut Scholemoor Outdoor Activities Centre and Thornton pool on the grounds of health and safety.

Tory and Liberal Democrat groups said the use of an across-the-board three per cent reduction was a crude tool for achieving cuts which may not accord with the Council's 20-20 Vision - a blueprint to make the district a better place to live.

But there were furious exchanges between Labour group leader Ian Greenwood and the other parties at the meeting.

Coun Greenwood's amendment that the cuts proposals put forward by officers be taken to the Council with a full and detailed report on their implications was defeated by the joint votes of Tories and Liberal Democrats.

Deputy Council Leader Council Richard Wightman said they regretted the need to impose cuts, but they were necessary because of a three-year strategy agreed when Labour was in control.

But Coun Greenwood said the strategy decision had been made in public and he believed the council was probably in a good financial situation, while the opposition were scaremongering.

Councillor David Ward said one of the main problems was the failure to get permanent jobs for teachers who were surplus through the schools review, which was now costing the authority millions of pounds.

He said: "I am appalled at the lack of effort which went into this. The handling was amateurish and appalling. There was a total failure to engage trade unions in dealing with the problems."

The meeting was adjourned for discussions on the final package after the Tories and Liberal Democrats put forward separate lists of proposals.